INDIAN AFFAIRS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2857, 16 December 1908, Page 26

INDIAN AFFAIRS.

CALCUTTA, December 11

The Council of Calcutta will to-day pass a bill providing for a special tri-bunal-of three High Court judges to try seditious and Anarchist offences, and also authorising the imprisonment of members of dangerous s»cieti?£.

The India Council has passed a Sedition Bill, the native members warmly acquiescing.

Sir Harvey Adamson mentioned that there was in Eastern Bengal an organisation of seditious volunteers to the number of l§,ooo, and that their influence was greatly fostered by boycotting and arson and by dacoits' terrorisation.

December 12,

Earl Minto in the Council emphasised the statement that personal and public security were dangerously threatened, calling for stem measures to terminate the apprehensions of hidden danger which "were crippling the daily life of the people.

He appealed to the good ssn&e of the whole community to co-operate with the authorities in order to ensure order and security, enabling them to turn their attention to Viscount Morley's projected reforms.

December 14.

There is excitement in Calcutta owing to the airest of Miha, the editor of the native newspaper Sanjibani, or a charge connected with the students' dacoities.

Dutt, a prominent Eastern Bengal seditious leader, who was arrested at Barisan, and Babitram, the editor of " the native newspaper Swarajya, have been sentenced to seven years' imprisonment on a charge of sedition.